Max Verstappen claimed his first victory of the 2026 Formula One season during a chaotic, rain-affected Bahrain Grand Prix, which was relocated to the Sepang International Circuit. The event faced significant delays, beginning an hour and 40 minutes behind schedule due to heavy downpours at the Malaysian venue.
Verstappen, starting from pole position, faced an immediate challenge when he suffered a slow getaway on intermediate tyres. Both Mercedes drivers, Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, surged ahead of the Dutchman before the first turn. However, the four-time world champion regained control of the race following a safety car deployment on lap nine, which was triggered after Valtteri Bottas spun his car into the gravel.
As the track conditions transitioned from wet to dry, the field shifted to slick tyres. Verstappen capitalized on the restart to overtake both Mercedes drivers, eventually establishing a substantial lead that he maintained until the finish. While Verstappen secured the win, his title rival George Russell suffered a late-race exit; the Mercedes driver was forced to retire from third position with just five laps remaining due to an apparent power unit failure under a late safety car.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli ultimately crossed the line in second place. Lewis Hamilton, who initially struggled after starting on dry tyres in wet conditions, demonstrated his veteran skill by recovering through the field to secure a podium finish in third. Charles Leclerc followed in fourth, while Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar rounded out the top five.
The race was hosted in Malaysia as a result of international sporting schedule disruptions stemming from the United States-Israel war on Iran. This victory marked a return to form for Verstappen at the Sepang circuit, where he had previously won in 2017 before the track was removed from the official F1 calendar. The championship will continue next weekend with a night race and sprint event scheduled in Singapore. And the Dutchman, who had also taken pole, gave Red Bull a huge boost despite an early setback when he lost the lead before turn one, verstappen was the last driver to win in Sepang in 2017 before it was taken off the F1 calendar.
